CLAIMS
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`What is claimed is:
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`Thorpe North & Western, LLP
`Docket No.: 02093-32189NP
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`l. A moisture-responsive film, comprising:
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`a compleXing substrate containing a compleXing material that forms a
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`Visualizable complex in the presence of iodine and water; and
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`an iodine layer applied to the compleXing substrate to form a moisture-
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`responsive film including a test area.
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`The moisture-responsive film of claim 1, wherein the compleXing substrate comprises
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`paper, fabric, a polymeric material, or a combination thereof.
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`The moisture-responsive film of claim 1, wherein the compleXing substrate comprises
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`paper.
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`The moisture-responsive film of claim 3, wherein the complexing material is mixed
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`throughout the paper.
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`The moisture-responsive film of claim 3, wherein the paper includes a surface coating
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`comprising the compleXing material.
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`The moisture-responsive film of claim 1, wherein the compleXing substrate comprises
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`a fabric.
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`The moisture responsive film of claim 6, wherein the fabric comprises cotton, linen,
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`silk, hemp, bamboo, polyamides, polyesters, polyurethanes, or a combination thereof
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`The moisture-responsive film of claim 1, wherein the compleXing substrate comprises
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`a polymeric material.
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`3O
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`Thorpe North & Western, LLP
`Docket No.: 02093-32189NP
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`9.
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`The moisture-responsive film of claim 3, wherein the polymeric material is a member
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`selected from the group consisting of: polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinylpyrrolidone,
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`carbomers, polyacrylic acid, polyoxyethylene/polyoxypropylene copolymers, other
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`copolymers, albumins, casein, zein, collagen, other proteins, glucose, sucrose,
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`maltose, trehalose, amylose, dextrose, fructose, mannose, galactose, other sugars,
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`erythritol, threitol, arabitol, xylitol, ribitol, mannitol, sorbitol, galactitol, filCltOl,
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`iditol, inositol, volemitol, isomalt, maltitol, lactitol, maltotriitol, maltotetraitol,
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`polyglycitol, other sugar alcohols, chondroitin and/or other glycosaminoglycans,
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`inulin, starches, acacia gum, agar, carboxymethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, ethyl
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`cellulose, alginates, carrageenan, cassia gums, cellulose gums, chitin, chitosan,
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`curdlan, gelatin, dextran, fibrin, fulcelleran, gellan gum, ghatti gum, guar gum,
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`tragacanth, karaya gum, locust bean gum, pectin, starch, tara gum, xanthan gum, and
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`other polysaccharides, and filnctionalized derivatives of any of the above, copolymers
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`thereof, and combinations thereof.
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`10.
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`ll.
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`The moisture-responsive film of claim 1, wherein the compleXing material comprises
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`a native starch.
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`The moisture-responsive film of claim 1, wherein the compleXing material comprises
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`a modified starch.
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`12.
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`l3.
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`l4.
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`The moisture-responsive film of claim 1, wherein the compleXing substrate includes
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`at least 0.75 nanograms (ng) compleXing material/millimeter squared (mmz) substrate
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`surface area.
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`The moisture-responsive film of claim 1, wherein the iodine layer comprises an
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`iodine coating layer.
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`The moisture-responsive film of claim 13, wherein the iodine coating layer comprises
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`a binder, a filler, a plasticizer, a polymeric material, or a combination thereof
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`Thorpe North & Western, LLP
`Docket No.: 02093-32189NP
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`15.
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`16.
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`17.
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`The moisture-responsive film of claim 1, further comprising a backing layer
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`positioned on a back side of the complexing substrate opposite the side to which the
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`iodine layer is applied.
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`The moisture-responsive film of clam 1, further comprising a designated calibration
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`area and a designated testing area.
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`A method of manufacturing a moisture-responsive film, comprising:
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`combining a complexing material with a substrate material to prepare a
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`complexing substrate that forms a Visualizable complex in the presence of iodine and
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`water,
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`applying a layer of iodine to the complexing substrate to form a moisture-
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`responsive film.
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`18.
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`The method of claim 17, wherein combining includes mixing or dispersing the
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`complexing material throughout the substrate material.
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`19.
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`20.
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`The method of claim 17, wherein combining includes applying a complexing material
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`coating to a surface of the substrate material to prepare the complexing substrate that
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`forms a Visualizable complex in the presence of iodine and water.
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`The method of claim 17, wherein applying the layer of iodine comprises coating a
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`complexing surface of the complexing substrate with a non-aqueous iodine solution.
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`21.
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`The method of claim 17, wherein applying the layer of iodine comprises direct
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`condensation of iodine vapor to a complexing surface of the complexing substrate.
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`22.
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`The method of claim 17, wherein applying the layer of iodine comprises coating a
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`complexing surface of the substrate with an iodine coating layer.
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`Thorpe North & Western, LLP
`Docket No.: 02093-32189NP
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`23.
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`24.
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`25.
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`The method of claim 22, wherein the iodine coating layer includes a binder, a filler, a
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`plasticizer, a polymeric material, or a combination thereof.
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`The method of claim 17, further comprising applying a backing film to the substrate.
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`The method of claim 24, wherein the backing film is applied to the substrate material
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`prior to combining the complexing material with the substrate material to prepare the
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`complexing substrate.
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`26.
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`A method of detecting a moisture-related skin condition, comprising:
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`providing a moisture-responsive film (MRF) according to claim 1 to a subject;
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`applying a skin surface of the subject to the test area of the moisture-
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`responsive film for a predetermined period of time;
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`removing the skin surface from the test area to reveal an exposed test area;
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`and
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`comparing the exposed test area to a calibration area to detect the presence or
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`absence of the moisture-related skin condition.
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`27.
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`28.
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`The method of claim 26, wherein the skin surface is a foot surface, a hand surface, a
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`face surface, a chest surface, an axillary surface, or a groin surface.
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`The method of claim 26, wherein the predetermined period of time is from 1 second
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`to 300 seconds.
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`29.
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`The method of claim 26, wherein the calibration area is included on the moisture-
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`responsive film.
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`30.
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`The method of claim 26, wherein the calibration area is included on a separate
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`calibration strip.
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`3O
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`31.
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`32.
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`33.
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`34.
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`35.
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`36.
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`Thorpe North & Western, LLP
`Docket No.: 02093-32189NP
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`The method of claim 26, wherein the calibration area is a digital calibration area that
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`is not included on the moisture responsive film.
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`The method of claim 26, further comprising drying the skin surface prior to applying
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`the skin surface of the subject to the test area.
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`A moisture-responsive film (MRF) system, comprising:
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`a moisture-responsive film (MRF) according to claim 1, and
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`instructions directing an end user to apply the MRF to a surface for a
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`predetermined period of time.
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`The system of claim 33, wherein the surface is a skin surface.
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`The system of claim 34, wherein the skin surface is a foot surface, a hand surface, a
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`face surface, a chest surface, an axillary surface, or a groin surface.
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`The system of claim 33, wherein the predetermined period of time is from 1 second to
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`300 seconds.
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`2O
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`37.
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`The system of claim 33, wherein the MRF includes a calibration area.
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`38.
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`The system of claim 37, wherein the calibration area is printed to prepare one or more
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`calibration marks.
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`39.
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`The system of claim 37, further comprising one or more water standards for
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`application to the calibration area to prepare one or more calibration marks.
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`40.
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`41.
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`3O
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`The system of claim 33, further comprising one or more calibration strips separate
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`from the MRF.
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`The system of claim 33, further comprising a skin drying material.
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`Thorpe North & Western, LLP
`Docket No.: 02093-32189NP
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`42.
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`43.
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`44.
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`45.
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`46.
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`47.
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`The system of claim 41, wherein the skin drying material comprises a water-
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`absorbent fabric, a paper-based towel, a disposable towelette including a drying
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`solvent, or a combination thereof.
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`The system of claim 33, wherein the MRF comprises a plurality of test areas.
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`A method of identifying surface features based on moisture content at the surface,
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`comprising:
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`applying a surface to a test area of a moisture-responsive film (MRF)
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`according to claim 1 for a predetermined period of time; and
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`removing the surface from the test area to reveal an exposed test area.
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`The method of claim 44, wherein the surface is a skin surface of a subject.
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`The method of claim 45, wherein the skin surface comprises a fingertip.
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`The method of claim 44. wherein the MRF comprises a plurality of test areas.
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`48.
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`The method of claim 47, wherein applying the surface comprises applying individual
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`fingertips of a subject to individual test areas of the plurality of test areas to obtain
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`fingerprints of the subject.
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